Circa 1930s quilt – creator unknown
Sunshine & Shadows By Dagny McKinley The bloodstain spread through the quilt, like a cloud gathering before a storm. Pa wrapped the quilt tightly around his wife. “She’ll get cold,” he said. “But Pa, she’s dead. She cain’t feel nothing no more.” “Shush, child. You don’t know how much of her spirit is hangin’ on. Tell her a story while I get things fixed up.” “What kind of story?” “Don’t matter. One of the ones she taught you. She’d like that.” Eleanor couldn’t look at Ma as she sat next to her and recited the story of Mother Holle. Took Pa the better part of an hour to get the horses calmed and the wagon righted. He cursed and swore he’d kill that moose if he ever saw it again. Damn moose charged the horses, spooking them, causing the wagon to tip. Berry, broke loose and accidentally trampled Ma after she got thrown to the ground. If they didn’t need the horses so bad, Pa would’ve shot him right there. When he was ready, he tucked Ma into the hay in the back of the wagon. “You sit up here.” Eleanor didn’t want to sit in her mother’s place but no one said no to Pa. When they got home, Pa told Eleanor to send her brothers and sisters to the neighbor’s house. They were only too happy to go, since Sunday was chore day. The youngest, May, looked at her sister. “Something bad happened.” “Go on.” Pa and I have a few things to finish.” Her sister didn’t move. “I said, go on, now.”
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